Last July, an existing client engaged us to design the security system for a building that was under construction. It is part of a property where we conducted a security risk assessment a few years earlier. The client was surprised when we asked to sit down with him to revisit the risk assessment process. “Why do you need to do that,” he asked? “You guys did the last risk assessment. Nothing has changed”. In fact, a lot had changed. And this is the reason we are changing the way security risk management is practised. Our new tool, which is a world first will ensure that security risk assessments are always up to date and the chances of an adverse event are minimised.

Should ‘gut feeling’ be part of security assessment? The tragic events in Melbourne’s Bourke Street last month highlighted the difficult choices we face when an extremely rare but high-impact event has devastating consequences. In our industry, evidence based reporting is a key component of security risk management. This means that unless we can find evidence of a threat and can link that threat to a vulnerability, there is no risk. That’s the theory, but does it work? Should instinct play a role?